Paper-saving sales strategy from Bales

As part of a new ‘paper lite’ sales strategy Bales Worldwide is launching one printed brochure for 2010/11, the Inspirational Journey Guide.

The brochure covers all of the operator’s 36 destinations and replaces the six regional brochures produced in previous years, which is estimated to save 35 tonnes of paper.

The change follows research conducted with both the operator's clients and agents which showed an "overwhelming preference" to use the Web to research travel and access detailed itinerary information.

The changing customer profile also means that the company's sales are now dominated by tailormade travel bookings, making up 70% of business. The brochure covers ideas and suggested itineraries for destinations which are sub-divided into Egypt, Arabia and Morocco, Africa, India and the Subcontinent, Canada and Alaska and the Orient, as well as introducing the operator’s 47 Classic and Select Online Journey Guides which give details on the intricacies of each trip and can be viewed in full at www.balesworldwide.com/journeyguides

A range of new products and itineraries have been added for next year including a nine-day Rio and Beyond holiday, from £935 excluding flights; an eight-day Highlights of Syria journey, from £1,420 including flights and the introduction of the new Jayavarman boutique cruise liner on the Mekong Delta, priced from £2,695 per person for a seven-night cruise including flights.

The lead in price is £545 per person for the new five-day Short Break in Cairo itinerary including flights, transfers and four nights' accommodation at the historic Mena House, Sofitel El Gezirah or the Villa Belle Epoque – Cairo’s first boutique hotel.